Crystals, corn dogs, and crime in Nightmare, Arizona
Olivia Kendrick is excited about Nightmare's annual arts and crafts festival until a vendor winds up dead inside his food truck. Locals and festival artists alike disliked the corn dog seller, but who had enough motive to murder him?
The supernatural community at Nightmare Sanctuary Haunted House must pull together to help gather clues, from a siren on a spy mission to witches with connections. Even Felipe the chupacabra is sniffing for clues!
As Olivia gets closer to the truth about the murder, she also gets a cryptic clue about the whereabouts of Damien Shackleford’s missing father, Baxter. Nightmare’s favorite amateur sleuth and her paranormal friends must put the pieces together before it’s too late…
Fatality at the Festival is book eight in the Nightmare, Arizona paranormal cozy mystery series. This lighthearted series is about starting over, found family, and solving murders in a quirky old mining town with a secret supernatural community.
The Nightmare, Arizona Paranormal Cozy Mystery SeriesHomicide at the Haunted House
Beth Dolgner writes paranormal fiction and non-fiction. Her interest in things that go bump in the night really took off on a trip to Savannah, Georgia, so it's fitting that the Betty Boo, Ghost Hunter Series of paranormal romance novels takes place in that spooky city. Beth's young adult novels, the steampunk Manifest and the urban fantasy A Talent for Death, also have paranormal elements. Her non-fiction work includes Georgia Spirits and Specters and Everyday Voodoo.
Since Georgia is obviously on her mind, you might think Beth lives there. Well, she did, but these days she and her husband live in Berlin, Germany, with their three cats. Beth misses those mild Georgia winters and proper iced tea, but there's no reason her characters can't enjoy those things.
Beth also enjoys giving presentations on Victorian death and mourning traditions as well as Victorian Spiritualism. She has been a volunteer at an historic cemetery, a ghost tour guide and a paranormal investigator. Right now she's chronicling the best spooky spots around Europe.
Having not read any of the other titles in this series and given that this instalment is relatively short, I actually really enjoyed it. I do enjoy a cozy mystery, add a little paranormal to the coziness and you’re onto a winner. I definitely did sense I was missing out on some back story, which can be inevitable diving into a series, yet I didn’t feel that it set me at a complete disadvantage. I’d be quite interested in reading more in the series.
Cute, short and cozy, gave me winter by the fire vibes, which actually isn’t far off on a Scottish Easter Monday.
I loved the audio narration, the voice added to the cozy feel.
Huge thanks to Tantor Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
High quality audio. Thus is a quick listen a nice cozy mystery with a range of supernatural characters but a bit of a easy a to b kind of plot was entertaining .I wanted to know more about the characters and there seemed very basic on their interactions. Perfect as part of a series which could grow if the characters are developed. This is a nice no nonsense lusten. Thanks netgallery. Publisher author and narrator. I Hooe to find these characters again.
I'm a fan of cozy mysteries. I'm a fan of intense horror and a good romantasy as well, but when I'm feeling a little anxious, I enjoy taking a mental and emotional break with a quick, fun read that's stress-free but still has some murder and a bit of romance. Paranormal cozies are my preference.
But that whole rambling explanatory paragraph is really just to say that of all the paranormal cozy mysteries I've read, The Nightmare Arizona series, by Beth Dolgner, is, without a doubt, my favorite.
I love the characters, I love the setting, and of that series, this book in the series is my new favorite. Thank you, Beth, for another great vacation!
This was such a fun listen. Most of the action happens down at the festival and it was nice to see the vendors and new characters. So much drama, death and mystery happens in this town! Petrea Burchard does a good job bringing the story to life. While some character voices worked better for me than others, overall she captured the tone and personalities well.
A very special thanks to Tantor Audio for the ALC.
There isn’t much more I can say about this series that I have said before; each story has it all: a compelling mystery with plenty of clues to keep you guessing, a savvy sleuth who is smart enough to avoid TSTL moments (thankfully!), a satisfying conclusion, and a wonderful cast of characters that feel like family. This one, though, despite the issues with the food truck carts, made me crave corn dogs. I love the progress they are making in finding Baxter and look forward to each one to see what else they can uncover. Highly recommended series but start at the beginning to really understand the characters.
The was such a fun cozy fantasy murder mystery! At the annual festival a group of magic creatures (and crew of the Nightmare Sanctuary) find themselves trying to solve the murder of a corn dog seller.
This book was just such a fun read, the characters were interesting and has chemistry with the story. There are so many different magical creatures (mermaids, witches, vampires) you name them they were there. I liked that the corporate of the murder wasn’t obvious, so it made it fun while reading along to try and figure out who the murderer was.
The duration of this audiobook was great. The pacing was great, and the fact that Petrea Burchard was able to do so many voices that were believable and easy to listen to for all the different characters was very impressive.
In general, this is a great cozy fantasy murder mystery that I would recommend to anyone who loves this kind of genre.
Thank you so much to Net Galley and Tanor Audio for this ARC audiobook!
I received a copy through Tantor Audio and voluntarily reviewed it.
Fatality at the Festival is the eight book already in this series and I really like this series. So I was eager to dive into this eight book. This series has a new mystery in each book and there is an overarching mystery as well as character related plot lines that continue throughout the series. I always enjoy returning to Nightmare for another book.
The mystery in this one didn't grip me as much as some of the previous books, but despite that it still kept me guessing. I kept feeling like there was something missing and then toward the end a few big clues make sure everything makes sense. I really liked the reveal and how everything fell on it's place at the end. I liked how Olivia got involved in solving the mystery again and she has plenty of help from her friends as well.
On top of that there is some more information about Baxter that comes to light, he's still missing, but the further the series gets the further the characters get in figuring out what happened to him. I also liked the plot line regarding Lucy and her growing powers continuing in this one as well as a new psychic who plays a role. And there are some fun parts related to other side characters as well, like Seraphina and Gunner who can't attend the festival and how they eventually still manage bring them both a taste of the festival. There is a side character who might be getting in a new romance. And then there is Olivia and Damien's romance that's deepening.
I liked the festival setting and theme for this one and a big part of the story took place there. It was a fun read and I always have a great time reading about Olivia, how she solves the mystery and seeing her interact with all the side characters. The paranormal aspect is a big part of the story and is well done too. The narrator for this series is great and I really enjoy the audio versions for this series.
To summarize: This was another great read in this series. I really liked this series and I am always excited when I can listen to the next book. This mystery didn't grip me as much as some of the others, but it kept me guessing. I felt like something was missing for the mystery clues to make sense and then some big clues toward the end make it all fall on it's place and I liked the reveal and wrap up. There is the overarching Baxter mystery that progresses too as well as some character related plot lines that were fun to see progress. I like reading more about Olivia and her found family in this book and I look forward to the next one.
This is such a good series. No miscommunications between the main couple, there’s a found family that’s loyal to each other and love teasing each other, an officer that may have come around to accepting help in solving all the murders but still in the dark about the supernatural world.
This was one of my favorites because come on, the king of corndogs vs the corn dog king … how can you not laugh? Loving these books but I’m growing a bit melancholy as I’m getting closer to saying goodbye lol! I will miss The Sanctuary and its hodge page cast of paranormal characters!
This is proving to be one of my favourite series and for a very good reason. It's so much fun and you can tell the author is loving it too. I really like how the super natural's are becoming more and more involved with the mystery with every book that comes out. This means the author has to come up with new and inventive ways for them to get involved, whether it's simple like investigating at night so the vampires can help or in the case of this book the mermaid joins the festival to cover for a sick human. Each situation are perfect for that story and adds a lot of fun to the story, especially as they are such great characters. I really like the characters and love spending time with them, even when they are trying to scary people in the haunted house or when they are caught up in investigating, both are equally entertaining. The main mystery gets wrapped up nicely and I had no clue who the killer was despite the clues, good job Olivia is on hand to work them out. We also learn a little bit more about the side mystery, the disappearance of the owner of the haunted Sanctuary, which is why I recommend reading or listening to the whole series, you won't be disappointed. I can't wait for the next book to see what mystery and wonders the author comes up with next.. Olivia and her nightmare friends are excited for the arts and crafts festival to arrive in town. Giving most of the residents of the haunted house a chance to have fun but the fun ends when a food truck owner is found dead. Olivia has no plans to investigate, until her friends talk her into it, by finding her clues and going undercover. Together can they find the killer before the festival moves on to the next stop? I think the narrator is the perfect choice for the job. Each character gets there own voice which helps bring the magic and mystery to life. Making it five stars all round. I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review
Thank you #netgalley and #tantoraudio for audio version of Fatality at the Festival in return for a review.
This is the 8th book in the series and can be read as a standalone. This is my first book by Beth Dolgner. I was able to catch up with past storylines and keep up with the well established characters and their relationships. Well written, well read by the narrator, and a fun story to listen to. Nightmare Sanctuary Haunted House is just that, a sanctuary for those of the paranormal. Very stereotypical as they work at a haunted house, but Gargoyles can't exactly walk around in broad daylight working at a fast food restaurant. The story begins with our main character, Olivia, attending the summer festival where a craft show is taken to a new level with all the magical crafts represented. All is well until one of the vendors is murdered. Of course, Olivia with her band of magical investigators, begins to look into the murder and try to solve it before the festival ends and all the suspects move on. Who did it? Why did they do it? Did the murderer kill the right person?
Lots of summer feels for the festival and the description of it by those attending. I haven't read a paranormal mystery in quite awhile but wasn't overwhelmed by the medley of characters. Narrator did a wonderful job distinguishing between them. Characters are interesting as their paranormal selves. But I think I would like the story even if it wasn't filled with the supernatural. It would still be a solid murder mystery. The supernatural aspect gives it that extra glimmer of sparkle. I will admit, I wasn't engaged in the storyline until 25% into it. When Olivia returns to the scene of the crime and discovers a group of people walking the streets with candles and chanting. For some reason, that's the part that finally hooked me. A solid 3.75 stars. I would read more by Bed Dolgner.
"Fatality at the Festival" is the 8th book in the Nightmare, Arizona series by Beth Dolgner. I was a little confused at the beginning since some topics/situations are referred to but then no further information is provided. So going into the book knowing that this might happen made it more enjoyable, and not that I was missing out.
This cozy mystery has a paranormal element, and while I don't read many paranormal books I found it very well done while explaining each persons quirks without making it their sole personality trait.
There are a lot of characters in this book, and sometimes I got confused who was who, but the narrator giving the different voices for each character made it easier to keep them straight.
I also enjoyed that the murder aspect was one story line, and that the characters also had their stories and daily lives showcased too. Also I am looking forward to see how the next stories will pan out and it if will include some of the situations it eluded to.
I will probably go back and start from the beginning with book 1 as this is such an interesting area, and I would love to see how all the characters ended up together.
It's time for the nightmare, Arizona Arts and Crafts annual festival and Olivia Kendrick is very excited. Things are going well at the Sanctuary and Damien and Olivia's relationship seems to be growing. And it seems Zak and Justine may have found love. Even Seraphina was able to get out of the house and look perfectly normal. With Lucy's powers starting to come out, it was great to see how she will have help in developing them. So, things were going along - That is until a food vendor was found dead in this truck. Who wanted to kill him? It seems everyone hated him which added to so many suspected. Well, Olivia and all her friends (the supernaturals) help Olivia find clues and find a murderer. And Olivia finds what might be a clue to the whereabouts of Damien's father, Baxter. What a fun series of twists and turn that keeps you entertained and guessing until the end. This is the 8th book in the series and once you begin, you can't put it down! I not only recommend this book , but I highly recommend the entire series! I received an ARC, of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
We are back in Nightmare Arizona, where the conjurer Olivia and her eclectic group of friends find themselves witnesses to an argument at the Arts & Crafts festival. When one of those involved is later murdered, Olivia is more than ready to investigate.
For a change, most of Olivia’s interactions occur during the day, and outside of the Sanctuary. We get to see our favourites, and meet a few new faces too. In addition, there is a curious mystery alluded to by another character, that I find myself really wanting to know more about; as well as an intriguing new clue in the missing Baxter case.
This is far from a standalone story, even though the mystery itself is; because the lives of Olivia and all of her friends are part of an ongoing tale (and ongoing mystery) which means you really need to read the other books in this series first. It’s an enjoyable series though, filled with fun and quirky characters, a hint of romance, and an ongoing and very perplexing mystery. The books are all quick, lighthearted reads, perfect for the paranormal cosy mystery lover.
What's a festival without a corn dog, right? Well, unless the owner of the corn dog food truck ends up face first in his batter. When something like that happens, you might want to skip the corn dogs and try other festival foods.
Unfortunately, this is the case for Olivia and crew. The unlikeable owner of (one of) the festival corn dog trucks ends up dead and Olivia can't help but look into it. He was a jerk, his death was kind of icky, and Olivia has limited time to gather clues since the festival won't last forever.
As tends to happen, there are more suspects than she can shake a stick at. Throw in a psychic reading (or two), a siren who gets to ply her wiles outside of the Sanctuary (what can I say except kids love her!), and more clues to help Olivia and Damien figure out what happened to Baxter and Olivia has A LOT on her plate.
Which, as it turns out, is just the way I like it!
As ever this is an excellent book and they are inching closer to finding Baxter. Olivia is intrigued when she hears a woman blaming a hot dog vendor who sells corn dogs, which turn out to be (for us non Americians) a hot dog covered in cornmeal (which is ground corn that becomes a flour) battered and then fried of making her father sick and how it wipes out all her fathers savings, (because Americans only have private doctors and have to pay if they get sick.) At first it seems he wasn't to blame, but as the story unfolds, is that really so? Who dunnit? Well Olivia manages to work it all out with the help of all her friends at the haunted house and Lucy takes a bigger step in her own psychic journey to deciding if she wants her gift or not. It's a lovely story, well written and you definitely want to read it. I can't believe book 9 will be the last, hopefully only of the current story arc and then we get a whole new set of murders in Arizona written. We need more, lots more.
Beth Dolgner is an amazing author that knows how to set the story line, draw you in and keep you hooked. If you enjoy paranormal cozy mysteries you have to read this and all of her other books. I have read all of the stories in this series and loved them all! I enjoyed the fact that Seraphina was able to get out of the house and look perfectly normal to those who had no idea who/what she really is. I'm happy to see plans in the works to help Lucy grow into her blooming abilities. It's nice to see Olivia and Damien working on their relationship. While still looking and finding clues as to what has happened to Damien's father, Baxter. Romance seems to be in the air as it seems that both Justine and Zack might have found potential love interests. And all of the above is going on while Olivia and group have to solve a murder mystery. There are no cliffhangers at the end. I received an advanced free copy of this story and the reviews are mine.
Olivia is excited to go the Arts and Craft fair in Nightmare not realizing that a lot of the crafts are really magical, making it all the more enjoyable. Of course, someone gets murdered and although Olivia is no where around when the murder occurs, she has to do some investigating. With the help of her friends she finds a clue, reported to the police, and that gets her curiosity going full time – there’s always something. This has the nice mystery like all of the books, the interesting characters with some that aren’t usually involved much more help this time. A couple more hints about Baxter come to life but they are not at the forefront of this book. Everyone seems so nice and friendly, I could see easily becoming friends with them, the supernatural aspect just makes everything more interesting. This is a quick, easy, enjoyable read. I’ve loved all of this series so far and will be looking forward to more in the future.
"Fatality at the Festival" is Book 8 of the Nightmare, Arizona Cozy Mystery series, written by Beth Dolgner. This is another one of my favorite series'. This episode has Olivia and her friends solving the murder of one of the corndog vendors at the annual Nightmare, Arizona Arts Festival. Who shoved that guy's face in the cornbread batter? Who lost their specially gifted amulet in said batter? There are too many suspects, but only one killer. Will Olivia figure out the mystery before somebody else ends up dead? This episode also gives clues into who the ghost girl at the elementary school playground is that 10-year old Lucy converses with. I gave this book a 5 star rating and can hardly wait to read Book 9 when it comes to my Kindle. I received an advanced reader copy from BookFunnel and this is my honest and voluntary review.
The annual arts and crafts festival is taking place in Nightmare, Arizona. Olivia and the crew at the Nightmare Sanctuary stumble upon another murder when corndog vendor is found dead in his truck. While investigating they also uncover a clue that may help lead to the Damien's missing father.
This is such a fun series. I love a cozy mystery but a paranormal cozy just hits different. Each member of the community at the Nightmare Sanctuary has a little piece of my heart. I have read the ebooks previously but really enjoyed Petrea Burchard's narration. I'm thinking an audio reread of the full series will be in my future. I happened to get this book right in line with my read of the series. So I can't wait to get to book nine soon and the tenth and final will be out in June! I will be so sad to say goodbye to this crew but also can't wait for the biggest mystery to be resolved.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ALC in exchange for the honest review.
If you like cosy crime with a supernatural twist, you'll enjoy this. Quite a short listen, but you get to fully experience a magical world, where as the title says there's a murder at a festival. It's set at the quirky little town of Nightmare, Arizona. The protagonist, Olivia Kendrick finds herself in the middle of a murder at the local arts-and-crafts supernatural creatures festival where the mix of witches, ghosts, and her adorable chupacabra sidekick, Felipe, make the whole thing feel like a paranormal version of Murder, She Wrote. I did not know this was part of a series, and am intrigued to read the previous books but it was pretty easy to follow although I will say some of the backstory explanations can get a bit info-heavy. Still, it’s a quick, entertaining mystery with charm, humor, and just the right amount of spooky. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the audiobook for review purposes.
Another delightful read in the Nightmare, Arizona series. The Arts and Crafts Fair is under way. Seems more metaphysical than a typical fair to Olivia. With two rivals selling corn dogs there's bound to be trouble and there is. After a fiery argument with a local over food poisoning last year, Martin is found drowned in his own batter. Everyone at Nightmare Sanctuary is expecting Olivia to solve the mystery. When an amulet is found that was made by one of the vendors in some batter along a trail, a connection to the supernatural group that took Baxter Shackleford, Daniel's father, gets everyone involved. Even 10 year old Lucy, Daniel's cousin and a burgeoning psychic medium. With three days before the fair ends and the vendors move on, Olivia needs everyone in her adopted family help to bring justice to the dead and the living
One of the things I like about this series of books is the range of unusual characters, how different they are from each other and yet how closely they can be bonded with each other. When we're talking about unusual characters we're talking about witches, a siren, a vampire, a gargoyle, etc. If a humans can get along with them really well shouldn't that be an inspiration for humans to get along with humans?
This book in the series revolves around a food truck guy being murdered in his own food truck, competition between two food trucks at he same festival, special amulets that are sold, a highly nervous festival boss, a health inspector and a young girl, Lucy, who has special powers of her own and is supported by all the others involved in the Nightmare Sanctuary.
All the characters, the good ones and the bad ones, are done well and you never lose interest in reading the book.
Olivia is relatively new to Nightmare, Arizona, and she enjoys the arts and crafts festival until one of the corn dog vendors is killed. The town's supernatural community pulls together to investigate the murder.
This novel has a huge cast which made it sometimes hard to keep the who's who in mind. I enjoyed the huge variety of supernatural creatures, though, and what the author did to accommodate them in the setting. Olivia serves as the character that introduces noobs to this sommunity really well; this is the first novel I've listened to in the series.
The plot around solving the murder works really well, and although I am not a fan of the genre (and I don't do any sleuthing while reading) I felt it was stisfying.
I really enjoyed the narrator's (Petrea Burchard) performance.
I absolutely love the Nightmare Arizona series and really look forward to reading them. Fatality at the Festival gave us a new murder and a development with another character. I really love how the stories are written and woven together, the development of Lucy was an interesting read and I really can't wait how this little schoolgirl will progress in Nightmare with the other supernaturals. Olivia as always was on point and manages to get involved in the murders without trying. I love how she solves them though - Nightmare's own JB Fletcher right there. I found this story equally as engaging as the other 7 in the series. I just love them, I love all the characters and I just get swept away with the story, as always I can't wait for book 9. I wait in eager anticipation.
Big Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy!!
'Fatality at the Festival' is the eighth book of the 'Nightmare Arizona Paranormal Cozy Mysteries' by Beth Dolgner. The book is filled with magical creatures, an interesting mystery, and wonderful characters.
And even though I have not read the rest of the series (yet, because now I do want to start it!), it wasn't hard to keep up or to love the characters, and especially the main one.
The paranormal was, in addition, well handled and blended nicely with the main plot, which was also a tricky mystery that wasn't easy to crack.
Finally, the narrator did a great job with her performance and the audiobook production overall was splendid.
I’ve been curious about the Nightmare, Arizona series by Beth Dolgner, but hadn’t read anything yet. An audiobook was a fun way to get acquainted. I enjoyed the narrator. The festival sounds fun. I didn’t realize the extent of the paranormal aspect, and I liked it. Olivia sounds like she has been busy in the time she has been in Nightmare, especially since this is book 8. The festival sounds like a good time, but stay away from the corn dogs. I enjoyed getting to know the variety of characters in the Sanctuary. I didn’t pick up on everything since I started mid-series, but I enjoyed reading Fatality at the Festival. I recommend reading especially if you enjoy paranormal stories. Thanks to Netgalley and Tantor Media for the opportunity to read the book.
Fatality at the Festival is book #8 in the Nightmare, Arizona Paranormal Cozy Mysteries series by Beth Dolgner.
Another great addition to this series. Who killed the disliked corn dog seller? I really like this one because the whole crew from the Sanctuary got involved in the investigation. It also highlighted how isolated some of the characters are because they can’t easily go out in public. It was an interesting mystery and I was surprised who the murderer was. We got a bit more information about Baxter. I can’t wait for the next book!
I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Love, love, love this series! Just binge read the first 8 books and I will pine until Book 9 comes out in March. A cozy paranormal mystery and romance series set in a small pioneer town called Nightmare, Arizona with the best cast of monster Scoobies ever. Olivia, Damien, and the gang from the Haunted House put on nightly scare fests and solve murders together. Each book has been a delight to read. I truly love the sense of family and acceptance among the Scoobies and even Felipe...the resident pet Chupacabra😁. Treat yourself to a warm and funny journey with these folks and enjoy Nightmares.